How to use the keyboard to simulate the mouse button

Table of contents:

How to use the keyboard to simulate the mouse button
How to use the keyboard to simulate the mouse button
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This article explains how to use the keyboard to move the mouse cursor and simulate pressing the left and right buttons. This is a very useful feature in case your computer's touchpad or mouse suddenly breaks. You can enable this keyboard functionality on both Windows and Mac systems.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Windows

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 1
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 1

Step 1. Use the directional arrows and the Enter key

If you need to select a program or file stored directly on your computer desktop, you can simply use the arrow keys on your keyboard to select the icon you want and the Enter key to start the relevant program or open the file.

  • By pressing the key of one of the letters on the keyboard, the selection will go directly to the next element whose name begins with the indicated letter. For example, by pressing the C key the focus should go directly to the icon of Trash can.
  • Press the key combination Alt + F4 to close the currently open window. If you are using a laptop, you may need to use the key combination Alt + Fn + F4.
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 2
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 2

Step 2. Make sure your computer keyboard has a numeric keypad

If the computer you are using does not have this tool (which normally occupies the right side of the keyboard), you will not be able to enable the "Accessibility Center" features, which allow you to control the mouse directly with the numeric keypad of the keyboard.. In this case, you can still use the following key combinations:

  • Alt + Tab ↹ allows you to cycle through all currently open windows.
  • Tab ↹ allows you to cycle through the options of a menu.
  • Enter will perform the main action related to the currently selected item.
  • ⇧ Shift + F10 or ☰ the context menu of the currently selected item will be displayed (simulates pressing the right mouse button).
  • Ctrl + Esc or ⊞ Win will bring up the "Start" menu, where you can type the name of a program or file and press the Enter key to open it.
  • ⊞ Win + E "File Explorer" system window will appear.
  • ⊞ Win + X will display the context menu of the "Start" button from which you can access the Windows "Settings" window or shut down the computer.
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 3
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 3

Step 3. Access the "Start" menu, characterized by the icon

Windowsstart
Windowsstart

Press the ⊞ Win key located at the bottom left of the keyboard or press the Ctrl + Esc key combination.

If the mouse connected to the computer or the touchpad (in the case of a laptop) works, simply click the icon located in the lower left corner of the desktop

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 4
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 4

Step 4. Type in the accessibility center keywords

The icon should appear Accessibility Center at the top of the "Start" menu.

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 5
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 5

Step 5. Press the Enter key

The Windows "Ease of Access Center" window will appear.

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 6
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 6

Step 6. Choose the Easier to use keyboard option and press the button Enter.

Use the ↓ key relative to the "Down" directional arrow to select the link Facilitates the use of the keyboard.

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 7
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 7

Step 7. Choose the Set Pointer Control option and press the button Enter.

It is a blue link at the top of the page that appeared.

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 8
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 8

Step 8. Check the hotkey combination to enable keyboard mouse control

Within the "Hot Keys" section there should be the entry "To activate Pointer Control press" followed by the combination of keys to use. To activate this Windows feature, press the indicated key combination.

Normally the key combination to use is: left alt="Image", ⇧ Left Shift and Num Lock. However, the keys to use may vary depending on the computer in use

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 9
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 9

Step 9. Configure the sensitivity of the mouse pointer

If you do not change the parameters related to the maximum speed and acceleration of the mouse pointer, the movements will be incredibly slow when you operate the mouse with the keyboard. Follow these instructions:

  • Scroll down using the "Down" arrow key until the "Maximum speed" slider is selected.
  • Press the "Right directional arrow" key → to increase the maximum speed of the mouse pointer.
  • Press the Tab key ↹ to select the "Acceleration" slider.
  • Press the "Right directional arrow" key → to increase the acceleration of the mouse pointer movements.
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 10
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 10

Step 10. Select the OK button and press the button Enter.

To reach the button OK located in the lower part of the window, press the Tab key ↹ until it appears selected.

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 11
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 11

Step 11. Activate the "Pointer Control" feature

Press the hotkey combination you identified in the previous steps (normally it's Alt + ⇧ Shift + Num Lock), then press and hold one of the numeric keypad keys corresponding to the directional arrows (normally these are the 4, 8, 6 and 2 keys relative to the "Left" arrow, the "Up" arrow, the "Right" arrow and the "Down" arrow respectively) to check if the mouse pointer moves in the chosen direction.

If the mouse pointer does not move, try pressing the Num Lock key again to activate the numeric keypad on the keyboard

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 12
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 12

Step 12. Move the mouse pointer using the directional arrows on the numeric keypad

Press the button 4 to move it to the left, 8 to move it up, 6 to move it to the right and 2 to move it down.

You can also use the 7, 9, 1 and 3 keys to move the pointer diagonally

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 13
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 13

Step 13. Press the button

Step 5. of the numeric keypad to select the element on which you have placed the mouse pointer

Alternatively you can press the Enter key.

If pressing the 5 key displays a drop-down menu, press the / key on the numeric keypad to make the "5" key simulate the left mouse button and not the right one

Method 2 of 2: Mac

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 14
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 14

Step 1. Enter the "Accessibility" menu

Press the key combination Fn + ⌥ Option + ⌘ Command + F5 if you are using a MacBook without a touch bar. Alternatively, tap the Touch ID button on your MacBook's touch bar 3 times consecutively.

  • If you are using an iMac, press the key combination ⌥ Option + ⌘ Command + F5.

  • If the mouse is working normally, enter the menu Apple clicking the icon

    Macapple1
    Macapple1

    choose the option System Preferences, click the icon Accessibility, then select the option Mouse and trackpad.

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 15
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 15

Step 2. Select the "Enable Mouse Keys" option

Press the hotkey combination ⌘ Command + ⌥ Option + F5 (or tap the Mac Touch ID button 3 consecutive times) while the "Mouse and Trackpad" tab of the "Accessibility" window is displayed.

While using the "Mouse Keys" feature, do not close the "Accessibility" window so that you can directly activate and deactivate it using the key combination ⌘ Command + ⌥ Option + F5

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 16
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 16

Step 3. Move the mouse pointer using the keyboard

Press and hold the U key to move it to the left, the O key to move it to the right, the 8 key to move it up and the K key to move it down. To move the mouse pointer diagonally, use the 7, 9, J and L keys.

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 17
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 17

Step 4. Press the button

Step 5. to simulate the click

This will simulate the left mouse button click relative to the selected item.

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 18
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 18

Step 5. Hold down the Ctrl key while pressing the button

Step 5. to simulate pressing the right mouse button

This will display the context menu of the selected item.

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 19
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 19

Step 6. Press the M button to simulate constant pressing of the mouse button while using the key . to simulate the release of the latter.

In this way you will have the possibility to activate special menus such as the one linked to the system recycle bin.

Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 20
Use a Keyboard to Click Instead of a Mouse Step 20

Step 7. Disable the "Mouse Keys" feature

Since it is not possible to type text using the Mac keyboard when active, press the hotkey combination ⌘ Command + ⌥ Option + F5 (or tap the Mac Touch ID button 3 times consecutively) to disable it after running the action you wanted.

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